iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

National Numeracy has released a new report marking 5 years of the National Numeracy Leadership Council! 🎉 Core skills like numeracy directly impact life chances from childhood into adulthood.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Motivated young people are earning technical qualifications, only to find no jobs that match these skills in their local area. If we want young people to thrive and not ‘leave to achieve’, regional growth and opportunities have to keep up. 🧵

110

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The journey to becoming NEET often starts well before 16. Failing to achieve any GCSE qualifications is a strong predictor. The growing focus on vocational routes is to be applauded, but we mustn't lose sight of these foundational qualifications.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

New @ONS Census data highlights the sharp regional divides for young people aged 16-24 who are #NEET: Highest: Blackpool (22.2% males, 20.4% females) Lowest: Bath & NE Somerset (6.1% males), York (4.6% females) This is part of a pattern of entrenched regional disadvantage 🧵

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

“You just show up...you just have to apply for a certain amount” For many young people classed as NEET traditional job support can feel like a frustrating tick-box culture. Is more tailored support the answer?

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

“No matter how hard it is... you’ve always got to get back up.” Behind the statistics of nearly 1m young people classed as NEET are real stories of resilience. We spoke to Madi and Riyaadh from Blackpool to understand their journeys. Look beyond the numbers: bit.ly/4h3geor

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Chair, Alun Francis, highlights, Blackpool is a town rich in opportunity and economic diversity, yet it faces distinct challenges with high rates of youth disengagement. Tackling youth inactivity requires understanding local realities, strengths, and specific barriers.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Nearly 1m young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET). To look beyond the stats, we went to Blackpool, to speak directly with young people with lived experience.

100

Reposted by Social Mobility Commission

Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined for our event this morning - Launching opportunity: how first jobs shape long-term success Panel - @danihpayne.bsky.social, Phillippa O’Connor (@pwc-uk.bsky.social), Sarah Atkinson (Social Mobility Foundation) & Baroness Stowell (@smcommission.bsky.social)

042

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Talent is spread evenly, opportunity isn't. The success of #MBacc shows what’s possible when government & business work together to shape education around the needs of the local economy. Applying this nationwide can help spread opportunity to the places where it's needed most.

110

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

🚨 Are top universities doing enough to recruit students from lower socio-economic backgrounds? We looked at student intake vs those who met the academic requirements. 📉 Over half of English Russell Group unis sit in the bottom 25% of our rankings. See the full breakdown 👇

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

"Success should not mean leaving the place you grew up in order to make something of yourself. It should mean that the place you grew up in is capable of making something of you." Deputy Chair Resham Kotecha on tackling regional inequality at the Westminster Employment Forum.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Lots of mentions of the Social Mobility Commission in the House of Lords Social Mobility Policy Committee Report debate. The debate covered economic growth and social mobility, NEETs, and the risk that the “the truly disadvantaged” are getting left further behind.

110

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Young people not in education, employment, or training face unique challenges. Next week we will publish in-depth research into the daily lives and experiences of these young people in Blackpool, setting out the case for targeted support based on individual needs and place-based approaches.

121

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Our Chair, Alun Francis, recently gave evidence to the Commons Education Committee inquiry on the Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving. He highlighted the importance of young people being empowered to make choices, and seeing how their learning leads to viable careers

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Our new Social Mobility Coefficient measures a university’s intake against the wider population of qualified students. For the first time, our data focuses on the specific barriers keeping academically qualified students out.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

AI can widen opportunity, if young people can access & shape it. Our Deputy Chair Resham Kotecha joined an expert panel shortlisting ventures for the AI & Social Mobility Challenge Prize with EY Foundation & Social Tech Trust hosted by LinkedIn. Congratulations to all selected!

110

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Our Data Explorer tool is growing. Our latest update adds social mobility data for 94 universities in England, allowing students, parents, universities and policy makers to explore detailed benchmarks on access and social mobility.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Almost 1 in 3 students going to uni are planning to live at home due to living costs, meaning where young people live increasingly shapes where they study. With students from lower socio-economic backgrounds most likely to be affected, our report "Who Gets In” points to how universities can adapt.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Can geography explain low university socio-economic diversity? Our Social Mobility Coefficient reveals that many major unis are missing out on qualified students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, even when their location is taken into account. Find out more 👇

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Students from the most advantaged backgrounds are almost three times more likely to start university than their least advantaged peers. Our new report, 'Who gets in?', introduces a diagnostic tool for English universities to see where the barriers to access are: bit.ly/4qpUEio

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Higher-level apprenticeships (Level 4+) are booming now making up 40% of all starts. That’s great news for upskilling, but there’s a catch, Level 2 entry points have dropped by 28%. Are we losing a vital first rung of the ladder for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds?

001

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Our latest rankings show that when it comes to enrolling students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, universities in the capital take the top spots. How does your uni compare? bit.ly/4qpUEio

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Exactly one month since @andyburnham.bsky.social became PM, we’re looking back at the conversation we had with him while he was still Mayor of Greater Manchester.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

With Clacton in the news, we wanted to take a look at the entrenched challenges facing Britain’s coastal communities. Our analysis shows places like Hartlepool, Hull, and Grimsby have some of the least favourable prospects for social mobility. Why? 🧵👇 (1/4)

120

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

This #ALevelResults day, young people around the country will be considering their futures. Our new report “Who Gets In?” reveals nearly 1 in 3 English universities are missing out on qualified students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Sponsorship of the Social Mobility Commission is moving to MHCLG. While we retain our independent voice, this puts us at the heart of discussions key to Britain’s social mobility problem 📍 Place-based approaches 🏠 Housing 🤝 Pride in Place 🏗️ Local investment

110

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Launching today: Who gets in? 🎓 Our new research reveals almost 1 in 3 English unis are under-enrolling disadvantaged students - even when they meet the entry requirements. To track this, we built the Social Mobility Coefficient - a ranking comparing unis. 🧵👇

132

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

"We must not patronise and paternalise." In our latest blog, Lord Blunkett writes on why empowering individuals, rather than imposing top-down solutions, is critical to creating lasting social mobility. Read the full piece on the our website👇

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Blackpool has one of England's highest NEET risk rates. We’ve been on the ground listening to young people about their lived experiences. 🗣️ Next month, we publish our findings setting out an in-depth picture of personal and regional challenges. Sign up to read it first: shorturl.at/wHdoY

010

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

We welcome the PM's announcement giving Mayors a share of income tax revenue. For several years we have argued that putting more money, resources and power in the hands of local leaders is key to delivering the broad-based economic growth needed to fix Britain’s social mobility problem.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Improving social mobility requires integrated, place-based solutions. Deputy Chair Rob Wilson gave this message at a The Whitehall & Industry Group briefing on barriers to opportunity and how social mobility drives inclusive growth. How can cross-sector collaboration best improve social mobility?

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Welcome news as the Government rolls out new support for technical education, skills, and apprenticeships for young people nationwide! This aligns with our long-standing call for alternative pathways. 📈

110

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Young people need options and opportunities. We have continually called for a renewed focus on technical education and a shift away from the traditional academic-centric view of ‘success’ that has dominated previous social mobility initiatives. www.gov.uk/government/n...

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

How much do grandparents shape a child's future? 👵👴 UK grandkids of professionals are 2.5x more likely to land top jobs, independent of their parents' wealth. The effect is strongest when parental income is low.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Angela Rayner MP has been was welcomed into MHCLG as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. At our Social Mobility Symposium, she shared her own powerful journey, reminding us that policy statistics aren't just numbers, they represent real human lives.

031

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

The rise in NEETs has been linked to a "crisis of opportunity". To explore solutions, commissioner Rob Wilson chaired the Westminster Insight's NEETs Conference, bringing together education, healthcare, and welfare leaders to address the estimated 1m young people currently classed as NEET.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Commissioner Baroness Tina Stowell met with this year's interns in Parliament to discuss career pathways, background diversity, and how the Commission is breaking down barriers to opportunity across the UK.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

If you aren't on our newsletter list, you're missing out on the latest social mobility insights and reports. 📈 Get the data before anyone else does. Sign up in seconds: bit.ly/4v4004P

010

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Today’s expansion of the Youth Hub in Port Talbot is a welcome step in localised support for young people. To fix national problems we need to understand the communities behind the stats.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

With UK NEET rates hitting 1 million the 2026 #SocialMobilitySymposium tackled the critical link between welfare, youth employment, and social mobility.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Investment in opportunity: where should it go? We asked the public which investments would improve opportunities for people to succeed. Which would you choose? 1️⃣ Apprenticeships 2️⃣ Schools 3️⃣ Local job creation 4️⃣ Universities 📊 Show results

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Our report on access to extra-curricular activities has been cited in the new Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Social Connection Framework. 'An Unequal Playing Field' sets out that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were least likely to participate in these activities.👇

020

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Extra-curricular activities aren't just hobbies, they can be engines for social mobility. 🚀 Research shows that participation at age 14 leads to higher marks and a lower chance of becoming NEET. Yet low-income children who could benefit most are the least likely to have access.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

@oecd-ocde.bsky.social has just launched its Employment Outlook which highlights how many countries are suffering major regional disparities in their job market.

100

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

We turn data into action by working with Government and employers. Our recent impact includes shifting the debate to prioritise L1-3 apprenticeships, providing policy support for the English Devolution Bill, and empowering policymakers via our Data Explorer tool.

000

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

New data published by @educationgovuk has revealed over 32,000 “Phantom NEETs”, with thousands of teenagers at risk of missing out on support. This is why we’re calling for more prevention and early intervention for ‘at-risk’ youth by utilising regional data and identifying underlying risk factors.

010

Social Mobility Commission @smcommission.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Did you know - 1.01 million young people, more than 1 in 10 young people (people aged 16 to 24 years) in the UK, are currently not in education, employment, or training. 📉 Source: ONS #SocialMobility

100